Madurai Kaara Chutney( Spicy Chutney)

 This is a famous chutney from "madurai" city in Tamil nadu. It is a spicy chutney made with shallots, garlic, tomato and peanuts and it is usually served with idli , dosa . It has a unique taste and texture and is famous among the roadside food stalls and restaurants  in madurai.

INGREDIENTS:

Channa dal - 1 tablespoon

Small onions - 4 to 5 no.s

Big Onion - 1/2 cup chopped fine

Tomato - 1 medium sized

Garlic- 9 to 10 pods

Ginger - 1 inch sized

Green chilli - 1 no

Dry red chilli - 4 nos  or Red chilli powder - 1 or 2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 1 strand

Coriander leaves - a bunch

Roasted peanuts - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt - as required 

SEASONING:

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - as required

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add oil and  add channa dal and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add Garlic pods and fry for some time. Then add chopped green chilli, small onion and big onions and fry till they turn translucent. 

2.  Then add ginger, curry leaves,coriander leaves and tomato. Also add red chilli powder. If you are using dry red chilli, you have to add it in the above step along with green chilli. Stir fry the contents for 2 to 3 minutes, till the tomatoes are cooked well. Then add roasted peanuts and salt . Switch off the stove and allow the contents to cool.

3. Grind them slightly coarse. Then do the seasoning with items as mentioned in the "seasoning" section.

4. Serve with Idly/Dosa.

Ragi Dosa with chutney

Brinjal Fry in Iron Kadai

 In this recipe, Brinjal is cooked in iron kadai with spices and very less oil. For less oil, iron kadai(pan) is the best.  I got a preseasoned cast iron kadai ( Kraft brand) from amazon. This is an very easy recipe with minimal ingredients that are available at home.  The spices and sauteing in iron kadai gives a special taste to this brinjal curry. Please do try at home.

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 1 medium sized ( 150 gms)

Onion - 1/3 cup finely chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Corinder powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Sambar powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Asafoetida powder - as required

SEASONING:

Oil -  5 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Wash and cut brinjal in bigger sizes. If brinjal is finely chopped it turns mushy. So each piece should be the size of your finger or 3/4 th of your finger . 

2. In the iron kadai, add oil. Then add the items mentioned in the "Seasoning" section . 

3. Then add finely chopped onions and fry for sometime.

4. Then add brinjal, salt and also add the spices- turmeric, red chilli , coriander and sambar powders.

5. Mix the contents well. Do not add any water . Cover and keep in low flame. every three minutes once open and gently stir the contents to avoid getting burnt. It takes about 10-12 minutes for the brinjal to get cooked completely and also doesnt turn mushy.  Turn off the stove and sprinkle some asafoetida powder. Brinjal curry is ready!

Kadai Paneer

 

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer -250 grams

Yellow bell pepper - 1 medium sized

Red bell pepper -1 medium sized

Onion - 3/4 cup chopped

Tomatoes - 2 medium sozed finely chopped

Tomato ketchup - 2 tablespoon

Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Ginger - 1 inch juliened

Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon

Kasuri methi - 2teaspoon

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

FOR KADAI MASALA:

Coriander seeds -1 tablespoon

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s

Cardamom - 2 no.s

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Cloves - 2 no.s

METHOD:

1. In a pan, dry roast the items mentioned in the "FOR KADAI MASALA" and grind them in to a powder.

2.  In a pan, add butter and oil. Now add chopped 3/4 cup onion and fry till they turn translucent. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell is gone.

3.  Now add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.  Now add the powdered kadai masala, kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala . Also add the juliened ginger  and mix well and cook the spices for 30 seconds.

4.  Add 1 cup water ,salt,  1/2 teaspoon sugar . Also  add paneer cubes, chopped red and yellow peppers. Keep the flame in sim and cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add 2 teaspoon of kasuri methi ( dry fenugreek leaves). Switch off the stove and add 2 tablespoon tomato ketchup and mix well. 

5. Kadai Paneer is ready. Serve with rice or rotti.

Peanut Tomato Chutney

 INGREDIENTS:

Peanuts: 1/3 cup

Tomato - 1 medium sized

Small Onions - 1/2 cup

Curry leaves - a handful

Green Chilli - 1 no.

Garlic - 7 to 8 pods

Dessicated coconut powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Oil - 1 tablespoon

SEASONING:

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Mustard  - 1 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:

1. In a pan, dry roast peanuts and set aside. Cut onions , tomato  and green chilli. Prepare all the ingredients ready.

2. In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil. First add garlic, greenchilli and curry leaves. Then add small onions, salt and fry for some time. 

3. Now add the tomatoes and fry, till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Then add a teaspoon of dessicated coconut powder and fry for two minutes.

4. Allow the above contents to cool down. In the mixer,  add the roasted peanuts and grind them to powder. Now add the above tomato onion mixture to the grinded peanuts and grind them all to a fine paste.

5. In a pan, take oil and add the items mentioned in the "seasoning"  section and pour it over the chutney and mix well. peanut tomato chutney is ready. Serve with idly , dosa or chappathi.

Badam Halwa

 

INGREDIENTS:

Almonds -1 cup ( I used 240 ml cup)

Sugar -  2/3 cup ( use 2 * 1/3 cup . I used golden  sugar. You can use white sugar also . Add another 1 to 2 tablespoon of sugar, if you need more sweetness)

Milk - 1 cup

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Saffron - a few strands

Cardamom powder - 1 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Soak  almonds overnight. In the morning, remove skin and wash the almonds.

2. In a mixie jar, add almonds, milk,saffron strands,sugar and grind to a smooth  paste. Now , in a heavy bottomed vessel, add 1/4 cup of ghee and add the almond paste and mix well.

3. Now comes the process of constant stirring.  You need to keep stirring the contents continously, without leaving it. The mixture starts slowly thickening. You can also see the colour changes slightly dark. The total time of stirring takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get the final product.

4. When it starts thickening, add the remaining 1/4 cup ghee and keep stirring again continously. You can see the ghee starts leaving the sides and the mixture thickens further .

5. After 20 minutes, the final end product look like below.  Then switch off the stove. Add another table spoon of ghee and mix well. It gives a glossy look. Also add 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder. Badam Halwa is ready !!!!

NOTES:

* Instead of milk, you can add water to the almond while grinding. It will increae the shelf life of the sweet. If using milk, the sweet can stay good for 2 days.

 

 

Garlic Pepper Rice

Serves - 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Red and yellow peppers - 1 cup chopped

Onion - 1/2 cup finely chopped

Garlic - 10 pods

Cashews -10 no.s

Curry leaves- a handful

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilli powder -3/4 teaspoon

Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 2 tablespoon

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

METHOD:

1. In a pot, take sufficient water. Once it starts to boil, add 1 cup of washed basmati rice and mix well. Keep the flame to sim, and cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Filter the remaining water. You can see the rice cooked well and also not sticky . Also chop onions, garlic and yellow and black peppers fine and keep aside. 

2.  In a pan, add oil and ghee. To that, add mustard , fennel seeds and curry leaves . Once it crackles, add garlic and cashews and fry till they turn to golden colour. 

3. Now add onions and fry till they are translucent. No need to fry till they turn brown.

 

4.  Now add Turmeric , kashmiri red chilli powder , black pepper powder.  Mix well  and fry until the raw smell is gone. 

5. Now add yellow and red peppers . Sprinkle some water. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not over cook the peppers. The rice will be tasty, if they are slightly crunchy.

6. Now reduce the flame to sim and add cooked basmati rice and mix gently. Also add chopped coriander leaves.

7. Garlic pepper rice is ready !. Serve plain or with yogurt.

"Bread Upma and Mashed Avocado"

Serves : 3 servings

BREAD UPMA:

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat bread slices - 6 no.s

Carrot - 1 no. grated

Yellow capsicum - 1 no. chopped fine

Onion - 1/2 cup chopped fine

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice - few drops

Salt - as required

Oil - 5 teaspoons

Mustrad - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1 teaspoon

Ghee - For toasting bread

METHOD:

1.  Toast each bread  in little ghee separately. Cut each  slice of bread into 8 pieces.  Keep it aside.

2. Grate carrot . Cut yellow capsicum and onion in to fine pieces.

3. In a pan, add 5 teaspoons of oil. Then add mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal. Add chopped onions and fry for sometime.

4. Now add grated carrot , capsicum and fry for some more time.

5. Now add required salt, turmeric, red chilli and corinder powders and mix well. Sprinkle some water and cover and cook until the veggies are soft. 

6.  Now add garam masala and cook for a minute. Switch off the stove. Add few drops of lemon juice. Also add the toasted bread pieces and mix gently. Bread Upma is ready !

MASHED AVOCADO:

INGREDIENTS:

Ripened Avocado - 1 no

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Dried  oregano leaves - 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice - few drops

METHOD:

1.  Before cutting the avocado , make sure they are ripened well. The skin of avocado turn slightly dark green and when you touch and gently press the avocado, it should not be firm and should yield to the gentle pressure. That is the indication that the avocado is ripened. Scoop the contents of the avocado using a spoon in a bowl.

2. Using the back of spoon, mash the scooped avocado well ,  to get a paste . Now to that mashed avocado, add salt, black pepper powder , dried oregano leaves. Mix well. Also squeeze few drops of lemon juice. Mashed avocado is ready .This can also be used as a spread on bread .

Sweet Bonda

 This is a tasty sweet made using whole wheat flour , banana and jaggery. 

Yields: 15 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Banana - 3 medium sized

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Caradamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Baking soda - a pinch

Salt - a pinch

METHOD:

1. Add 3 medium sized banana in a mixer and make puree and take it in a bowl. Now add 1/4 cup of jaggery and mix the contents well without any lumps.

2. Now add 1 cup of whole wheat flour, cardamom powder , baking soda and salt. Mix the contents well. The batter should be in the consistency of cake batter. If needed, you can add some water. 

3. Now , wet your hands with water and take some batter and dip them in the oil in round shapes. Fry till they changed to golden brown. The flame of the stove should be low to medium.

4. Serve with hot chai. sweet bonda / banana appam is ready!